Thermostat control for cooking utensils



April 3, 1928. V 1,664,551

J. H. HAMMOND, JR

THERMOSTAT CONTROL FOR COOKING UTENSILS Filed Dec. 19, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ms Anoayay Patented Apr. 3, 1328.

UNITED si'A'res JOHN HAYS WORD, JR, GIDUUIS'IIB, mAGHUm 1,664,551 PATENT orrlce.

mnanosu'r conrnor. Iron 0001mm omens Application ma December 10,1923. Serial 10.681344.

It is an object of this invention to rovide means for automatically controlling t e tern;- perature of the? contents of a cooking utensil so that whenthe temperature has reached a certain predetermined degree the supply of heat will be shut off so as to prevent any increasing in temperature of the contents of the cooking utensil.

Other objects will appear from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a top plan view of a mechanism constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of same, and Fig. 3 a side elevation of the same. Fig. 4 is a rear elevation; Fig. 5 a modified form of the invention; Fig. 6 is another modified torn: of the invention; Fig. 7 still another modified form of the invention and Fig. 8 a modification of part of the mechanism shown in Fig. 7.

Referring to the accompanying drawings,

' and particularly in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive,

the. invention as shown consists of a base 10 prcvided with a plurality of vanes 11 each pivoted so as to be rotatable about EillfiXlS extending substantially longitudinally thereoi, and ri 'dly connected at one end to an arm 12. 'lihe vanes 11 may be covered with any suitable heat insulating material such as, "for example, asbestos. The erms 12 are pivotaliy secured to a connecting hnls 13 which is provided with a pin 14 which slides in a slot 15 of an actuating arm 16. The arm 16 is pivoted at 17 to a slider 18 which slides in a slot 19 provided in an upright member 20. The slider 18 is provided with a mark which co-operates with graduations 21 for indicating the position of the slider 18. The slider 18 engages a screw 22 which is turned by a knurled head 23. The upper end of the arm 16 is provided with a slot 25 which engages the end of a second arm 26 pivoted at 27 to a member 28 which is hinged to the member 20 at points 29 and 30. This hinge is so arranged that when the member 28 is rotated the end of the arm 26 will remain in the slot 25. The inner end of the member 28 is bent as shown in Fig. 3 and has secured to it a piece of flexible material 32, to the outer part of which is secured the cover 33, which fits upon the container 34. By the use of the flexible strip 32 it is possible for the cover 33 to fit snugly upon the top of cooking utensils of various heights. The inner end of the arm 26 is rovided with a slot 35 which engages a ro 40, the lower end of which 18. secured to a member 41 composed of two dissimilar substances having difierent c0 eflicients of expansion riveted together. This member is rigidly secured at the lower end by a bracket 42 to an upright plate 43 which 15 rlgidly connected to the member 28. The pin 44 is rovided in the plate 43 to prevent the mem er 41 from moving beyond a certain desired position.

In the operation of the form of theinvention shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, the substance to be heated is placed in the container 34 and cover 33 is placed thereon. The base 10 is set over a suitable burner, the heat from which passes up between the vanes 11, as shown in Fig. 2 strikin upon the bottom of the-container 34, thus eating its contents. As the temperature increases the member 41 being made of two dissimilar materials will be flexed thus moving the rod to the right as seen in Fig. 4. This rotates the arm 26 in a counter clockwise direction as seen in Fig. 1 which in turn rotates the arm 16 about the pivot 12' in a clock-wise direction as seen in Fig. 2. This causes the linl: 13 to be moved to the left, thus rotating the arms 12 and the vanes 11 in a counter clockwise direction as seen in Fig. 2. As the temperature of the substance increases this motion continues untii, when the substance is at the predetermined temperature the link 13 will be moved to its extreme position, thus causing the vanes ii to be turned in a horizontal position, thus cutting oli the supply of heat from the under surface of the container 34. If the temperature of the contents decreases the reverse action will take place and the vanes 11 will be rotated in a clockwise direction, thus allowing more heat to reach the container 34. The temperature at which the heat is shut ofi' can be varied by turning the thumb screw 23, which by means of the slider 13 will change the relative position of the ivot point 17 so that the vanes 11 may be c osed at a lower or higher temperature depending upon which direction the slider 18 is moved.

The graduations 21 are so calibrated that the operator can tell at what temperature the heat will be shut ofi'. 1

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 5 the link 13 is operated by a lever 51 ivoted at 52 to the support 20. This lever is held in the position shown by means of a lit! spring '53. The upper end of the lever 51 is provided with a notch 54 WhlCh at sultable times is engaged by the arm 26. The arm 26 is operated by the expansion member 41 as described in connection with Figs. 1 to 4. A colored ball 56 is secured to an arm 57 which is attached to the arm 12.

In the operation of the modified form of the inventlon shown in Fig. 5 when the contents of the container 34 has reached a predetermined temperature the end of the lever 26 will engage the notch 54 1n the arm 51, and as the temperature increases it w ll cause the arm 51 to be rotated in a clockwise direction about the pivot 52, thus rotating the vanes so asfto shut ofi the supply of heat to the container 34. As the contents cool down the lever 26 moves to the left as seen in Fig. 5 the arm 51 will rotate in a counter clockwise direction by the action of the spring 53 and will open the vanes so as to allow more heat to strike the container 34. The colored ball 56 serves to indicate to the operator when the contents of the container 34 have reached the required temperature. In the modified form of the invention shown in Fig. 6 the link 13 is provided with a rojection 61 which normally engages a rod 62 slidably mounted in a bearing 63 and connected at its upper end to a bell-crank 64 which is held in the position shown by a spring 65 and is pivoted about the polnts 66. At suitable times the lever 26 engages the upper ends of the bell-crank 64. To the right-hand end of the link 13 is .screwed a handle 67 to which is attached one end of a spring 68, the other end of which is secured to the upright 20. At the left-hand of the link 13 is a small projection 70 which at the proper time strikes a bell 71 secured to the ass 10.

In the operation of the form of the invention shown in Fig. 6 when the contents of the container 34 has reached the pro er temperature the arm 26 is moved to t e right as described in connection with Figs. 1 to 4 and engages the upper end of the bell-crank 64, rotating it in a clockwise direction, thus lifting the rod 62 u'ntil it moves out of engagement with a projectlon 61, thus allowing the link 13 to be moved to the left under the action of the spring 68 which causes the vanes to be closed, thus shutting off the supply of heat from the container 34, and at the same time the projection 70 will strike the bell 71, thus giving an audible indication that the contentsof the container 34 has reached the proper temperature.

In the modified form of the invention shown in Fig. 7 the arm 12 is connected by a link 75 to a lever 76, pivoted at 77 on a sliding member 78 which slides in a groove 79 provided in the bracket 80. The sliding member 77 is moved by a screw 81 which is turned by the knurled head 82. Graduations 83 are provided on bracket 80. The u per end of the lever 76 is connected to a ro 85, the other end of which is screwed to a flexiile membrane86 made of any suitable material such as soft leather. This membrane covers an opening of a container 87 which is' connected by a tube 88 to a second con- :tainer 89 which is placed in the contents of the container 34. Containers 87, 89 and the pipe 88 are filled with as'uitable fluid which has a large coeflicient of expansion.

In the operation of the form of the invention shown in Fig. 7 as the contents of the container 34 increase in temperature, the

contents of the container 89 will also increase in temperature and will at the same time increase its volume, thus forcing the flexible.

membrane 86 outward, which in turn will move the rod to the left, this rotating the lever 76 in a counter clock-wise direction about the pivot 77 which by means of'the link 75 will rotate. the arms 12, thus closing vanes will close. In this form of the invention the chamber 87 is provided with a vsecondary membrane 91 which is pressed 'inwardly by a screw 92 threaded in a bracket 93 and provided with a knurled head 94. By turning the knurled head 94 the volume of the chamber 87 can be changed so that the temperature at which the vanes will be closed canbe varied at will.

What I claim is 1. In acooking utensil, the combination of a vessel, an element positioned therein responsive to variations in temperature, a source of heat spaced from the vessel, :1 plurality of movable vanes each including a layer formed of heat insulating material interposed between the vessel and the heat source to control the temperature of the vessel between predetermined temperature limits, and means operatively interconnecting said element and said vanes.

2. In a cooking utensil, the combination of a vessel, an element positioned therein responsive to variations in temperature, a source of heat s aced from the vessel, a plurality of movable vanes each including a layer formed of heat insulating material interposed between the vessel and the heat source to control the temperature of the vessel, and means operatively interconnecting said element and said vanes. v

3. In a cooking device comprising a utensil, a cover for said utensil having an aperlayer of asbestos and positioned ture and a heat responsive element depending throu h said aperture and into the interior of t e utensil, a source of heat spaced from the utensil, a plurality of rotatable shutters each having a covering formed of heat insulating material positioned between the heat source and the utensil, a connecting link for causing the simultaneous actuation of said shutters, and means operatively interconnecting said connecting link and said heat responsive element to control the movement of the shutters.

4. In a cooking device, the combination with a vessel and a cover therefor, of a flexible heat responsive element'depending from the cover into the interior of the vessel, a source of heat spaced from the vessel, a plurality of shutters each includin at least a %1etween the heat source and the vessel arranged in one position to screen the vessel from the heat source and movable from said position to permit heat to be applied from said source to the vessel, and an arm interconnectingsaid shutters and said heat responsive element to impart the movement of said heat responsive element to said shutters.

5. In a cooking device, the combination of a vessel, an element positioned therein responsive to variations in temperature, a source of heat spaced from the vessel, a plurality of shutters each including a layer formed of heat insulating materia pivotally mounted between the vessel and the heat source to control the temperature of the vessel, between desired temperature Iimits,means operatively interconnecting said element and said vanes, and means to modify the action of said heat responsive element upon said vanes.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afix my signature.

JOHN HAYS HAMMOND, J3. 

